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LIST-SERV EMAIL IS CHANGING TODAY!
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Many of you take advantage of the AAHCP member's only list-serv. Due to a severe price hike, we have to change list-serv providers. This means that as of TODAY we will officially switch to a new email address for the list-serv. To send messages to our new list-serv email, homecaremed@npogroups.org.To view our list-serv rules please click here. We will do our best to transfer all of our members as seamlessly as possible. If you believe that your email was dropped in the transfer or to change how you receive list-serv messages please contact us at membership@aahcp.org.
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It's Not Too Late to Register for the Annual Meeting; Last Chance to Register for IAH Learning Collaborative; Make Your Plans Now!
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1. Register here for the AAHCP Annual Meeting! Click here for the updated program.
This year will feature several optional sessions and events. To help you think ahead:
2. Wednesday PM: If you have applied for the Independence at Home Demonstration, be sure to sign up for the Learning Collaborative May 2 from 1-5 PM (separate registration required). Click here to learn more and click here to register.
3. Thursday May 3, 7:00 AM, Willow Room: Education Interest Group. Join this group for breakfast outside the meeting room for the Practice Management Day. There you will give final input to the competencies list you think home care medicine providers should have, and talk about next steps in weaving these competencies into future educational programming and publications of the AAHCP. The session will be led by Past President Dr. Edward Ratner.
4. Thursday May 3, Lunch from 12:30-1:30, Willow Room: Join Board members Brent Feorene, Dr. Steve Phillips, Members Dr. Teresa Soriano and Dr. Raul Khorane in a discussion of what we know about the role of home care medicine programs in reducing hospital readmissions. Especially for those of you working with or making proposals to hospitals. (A preliminary handout will be available; a Frontiers article will come out of this session)
5. Thursday, May 3, 5:00 PM: Join us for a free Networking Reception, co-sponsored by Cleveland Clinic, Harden Healthcare, Invacare, and NAHC where you will have a chance to meet and interact with other members and unwind with snacks and drinks.
6. Friday, May 4, Lunch 12:30-1:30, Willow Room: Join Past Presidents Dr. Tom Edes and Gresham Bayne, and Dr. George Margelis in discussing the current usage of telemedicine with home-limited patients. (A handout will be be available; a Frontiers article will come out of this session).
We hope you can participate in these additional sessions and we will see you in Seattle!
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Practice Metrics Needed to Respond to Questions to Protect Your Practice
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The Academy submitted recommendations to CMS regarding the definition of housecall practices and utilization expectations in response to CMS Medical Director request. The CMS request was based on Academy efforts to reduce audit, pre and post payment medical record requests burden and in anticipation of changes in utilization based on IAH and other new delivery and payment models. A copy of the letter is available click here.
We are working to arrange the opportunity to review the field description discussed in the letter in person. As we pursue the briefing and education of CMS officials and staff on the benefits of housecalls as well as evolving patterns of utilization, we need your help through your submission of practice data to effectively advocate for your practice. Please help us in our advocacy efforts in your behalf by submitting data to the Practice Survey.
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Help the Academy Advocate for the Field and to Protect Your Practice; Win Future Annual Meeting Attendance
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The need for practice data is increasingly important as noted above to effectively advocate for your practice. Two Academy members are attending this year's Annual Meeting as the awarded incentive for submitting the most data! We are offering the same opportunity to win attendance for the 2013 annual meeting. Here is how you can win.
1) Seattle Annual Meeting Attendees - Bring a copy of 2011 year end operational and financial reports to the annual meeting. Or bring the practice survey data elements in format that is available to you. We will enter your practice data, with practice identification into the Academy survey for you.
2) Members Not Attending Annual Meeting in Seattle - Enter your practice data into the Practice Survey.
We will select a 2013 Annual Meeting attendance winner from the next 20 practices that bring or enter the most practice data elements as described above. Thank you for helping us to help you.
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Medical Management of the Home Care Patient - Updated and Available for Your Use!
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The Academy is pleased to announce an updated and expanded Medical Management of the Home Care Patient (MMHCP) is Now Available. This important publication for care of your patients and operating a home care medicine practice is updated with the most current and relevant material. This book is applicable to the practices and patients of all Academy members including physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Leaders of your Academy in conjunction with the AMA authored the MMHCP. A group of copies will be distributed for free at the Annual Meeting. If you are not attending, order your copy here.
This 4th edition, like the field of home care medicine, has grown across many aspects of care, organization and regulation and covers the changing landscape from care of special populations, relationships with community-based long term care supportive services through skilled nursing and therapy services to the latest in acute hospital in the home programs.
Specific topics include:
- The basis for care of the home care medicine patient.
- Care transitions and the importance of care transitions in reducing hospital readmissions.
- Legal, compliance and ethical issues that arise or are present in practice of home care medicine.
- The Veterans Administration's Home Based Primary Care Program.
- Special home care medicine populations from neonatal through hospice and end of life care.
- A caregiver self-assessment tool.
- A comprehensive glossary.
- Listing of national, state and local resources.
- Case studies, tables, figures and easy-to-read text.
- A continuing medical education component for physicians interested in obtaining AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
The MMHCP is a care delivery complement to the expanded Field Guide to Home Care Medicine and both beginning and growing practices will want to have both references.
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HHS Proposed One Year Delay of ICD-10 Compliance Date to October 2014
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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last week a proposed rule that would delay, from October 1, 2013 to October 1, 2014, the compliance date for the move ICD-10.
The proposed rule was developed by the Office of E-Health Standards and Services (OESS) as part of its ongoing role, delegated by HHS, to establish standards for electronic health care transactions under HIPAA. The proposed rule includes other provisions impacting electronic health transactions effecting the healthcare industry.
The delay in transition to ICD 10 was based in part to the difficulty in implementing the Version 5010 transaction standards necessary prior to implementation of ICD-10. HHS believes the change in the compliance date for ICD-10, as proposed, would give providers and other covered entities (i.e., clearinghouses and health plans), more time to prepare and test their systems to ensure a smooth and coordinated transition.
Benefit of Delay to ICD 10 is Opportunity to Focus on ICD 9 Accuracy as this Drives IAH and Similar Practice and Revenue Opportunities
One benefit of the delay in effect of ICD 10 will be for the Academy to provide additional guidance to members on ICD 9 coding particularly as IAH gets underway. IAH and related models use ICD -9 to determine the expected expenditures through the hierarchical condition categories (HCC) scoring. Accordingly, accurate ICD 9 coding will produce the appropriate HCC scoring given the multimorbid health status of your patients and improve your opportunity for success based on such programs.
The relationship of accurate ICD 9 coding and HCC scores will be reviewed next Wednesday in Seattle during the Learning Collaborative and on Thursday during the Practice Management Day of the Annual Meeting. We will also be providing additional education during the year.
The Academy will review the proposed rule and submit comments that are due by May 17.The fact sheet on the proposed rule can be found here and you can view the proposed rule here.
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New Remittance Advice for Medicare Primary Care Incentive Program
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CMS has revised the format of the special remittance advice used to report quarterly incentive payments for the Primary Care Incentive Program (PCIP) and for those in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). The new format includes a summary page with total incentive payment per performing National Provider Identifier (NPI).
The PCIP provides a 10 percent bonus, based on the amount CMS paid to the physician for specified primary care services. The bonus is available for services furnished on or after Jan. 1, 2011, and before Jan. 1, 2016, and payments are made on a quarterly basis. We are aware that some members are already participating in the bonus payment and there may be others who are eligible to participate. Additional information is available here PCIP program and please contact Gary Swartz, JD, MPA with any questions.
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Comments Submitted on Proposed Overpayment 60 Day/10 Year Lookback Rule
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The Academy has submitted comments on the CMS proposed rule. The rule would provide the regulatory details of the PPACA requirement to return overpayments 60 days after you have "identified" an overpayment. The proposed rule also included provision that this requirement would last for 10 years (10 year "lookback" provision).
The Academy submitted comments and concerns relating to identifying an overpayment, to when the 60 day clock to return overpayment begins, to the interaction of the rule with other audit and medical record review programs, and to make the point that the 10 year look back provision was too long and inconsistent with other review programs (e.g., 3 years) and medical record retention policies (6 years). We will provide additional information as the rule is finalized and the Academy comments can be found here.
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Please contact Gary Swartz, JD, MPA at 410-679-5857 or Gary.Swartz@aahcp.org to discuss these or any other practice management issues or questions. |
Since 1988, the American Academy of Home Care Physicians has served the needs of thousands of physicians and related professionals, agencies and organizations interested in improving care of patients in the home.
Academy Board member volunteers and members work to reduce barriers to providing home care medicine and to enhance practice education. Notable successes include: fostering increased reimbursement, sponsoring multiple educational and scientific seminars, and providing the practice community with a variety of helpful publications.
Academy members include home care physicians - physicians who make house calls, care for homebound patients, act as home health agency medical directors, or who refer patients to home care agencies. They also include nurse practitioners, physician assistants, home health agencies, hospital systems and consultants interested in the field.
Members come from all across the United States. We also have some international members. The Academy welcomes student affiliates and corporate sponsor-members.
Constance F. Row, LFACHE
Executive Director |
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Are you taking advantage of all your member benefits? | | |
Being a member of the AAHCP comes with a number of members only benefits. We hope that you have taken advantage of all your membership has to offer. If not, click here to see what you are missing and how to make the most of your membership with us! |
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Practice Management and Technical Assistance Services | |
Access your Academy's "Practice Management and Technical Assistance Services" to obtain answers to your practice management questions. Listen to recent feedback:
"Thank you for talking to me today -- I learned a lot"
--Mary Ann Crumlish, PA-C
Comfort Care Medical Group
Jacksonville, FL
" The Academy has great resources."
"The fact that you called shows you care"
--Lyn O'Brien, PhD, ANP/GNP-BC
The Geriatric Center for Home Health Care
Franklin, MA
"Thanks again to the AAHCP for channeling our concerns and offering guidance and advocacy."
--Andrew Lyons, MD
Medical House Calls
New York, NY
The Academy's Practice Management and Technical Assistance Services are led by Gary Swartz, JD, MPA Associate Executive Director of the AAHCP who brings his extensive practice management service to your immediate aide.
Click here for more information. |
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Start Benchmarking Your Practice/Program Against Home Care Medicine Guidelines | |
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Unsure about whether your program meets "best practice" standards as a clinical practice? Find out now by buying Recommended Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Home Care Medicine.
This important document representing the collective wisdom of Academy experts with over 100 years of experience in the field will give you the guidance you need so you'll see where you are and where you need to go.
Guidelines can be bought as part of the Home Care Medicine Field Guide, click here to subscribe.
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